However, after several days, Soke Marx has either not received or not acknowledged my email requesting to ask him a few questions. Consequently, I am posting the questions here in the Martial Arts BS forum in the hopes that Marx will directly or indirectly respond to my inquiries.

For most all of the people here and probably for most Keichu-Do/Keichu-Ryu students, several of these questions are not going to make any sense. However, they will make a great deal of sense for Soke Marx, and they will be fairly easy for him to answer if he is open, ready, and willing to do so.

Do not let the hip-swaying, jocular face of my Jean-Claude Van Damme avatar distract from the seriousness of these questions or the significance of their answers (or the possible non-response).

*ahem*

To Soke Marx or your students who speak on your behalf:

1. What was the name of the ship that Marx served on in the Pacific fleet during his Navy experience? What years did he serve?

2. Can he provide specifics as to what he was arrested for or convicted of during his tumultuous youth and young adulthood? For example, a specific year, location, and crime? For example, arrested for misdemeanor possession of drugs in New Orleans in 1955. (Note: not saying this is true, this is only an example). Given his reported history as a pimp and of going into the Navy in lieu of prison, this shouldn't be too hard.

3. Can he provide specifics or substantiation as to his claimed affiliation with “Superfoot” Wallace, Chuck Norris, Cynthia Rothrock, Brian Wilson of the Beach Boys, and other notable figures?

4. What institution did he submit his doctoral dissertation to that constitutes his published 1979 work “Martial Arts Therapy?”

5. Does Marx consider the combatives he learned in the Navy to have Asian influences?

6. Has Marx or any of his instructors ever claimed that there is an official martial art of Louisiana or an official state holiday for Keichu-do? Have those claims been made by him or for him in any publication?

7. Does Marx have a nephew named Micah Lopez? If so, which sibling of Marx is his parent?

8. Does Marx believe he is the true “Father of American Karate?” How does he consider himself better suited for that title than, say, Robert Trias?

9. Here is a copy of educational credentials for Marx provided earlier in the other Keichu Do thread:
http://politiquote.com/henry/bsd/education.gif

Is this an accurate reflection of his education? Can he vouch for or affirm that these were accredited institutions of learning during his time there?

10. Marx asserts that Keichu-do “won over 100 world Championship titles including 2 gold and 3 silver medals in the Junior Olympics held in Chicago in 1985.” Can he specify what these medals and titles were in? Particularly, what proportion were for free-sparring/kumite as opposed to kata/forms, and under the auspices of which governing body?

11. Marx has said that one of his students, Jeff Crothers, has won 14 world championships in every division he’s entered. What tournaments were these in, and under whose authority?

12. Marx claims he’s only lost one fight to an Earl Adair. Does he still maintain this claim? Does he include his pro/amateur boxing record as part of this statement?

13. Marx claims he’s trained a boxer who competed in the Pan-American games. What is/was the name of that boxer?

14. Does Marx consider his work “Martial Arts Therapy” to be representative and inclusive of research completed on martial arts and their psychological benefits at the time (1979)? Does he consider his work to still have authoritative, relevant merit with its publication in 2005?

15. Can Marx comment on his involvement with the group Perfect Liberty and the Silva Mind Control program? Particularly his claims that he healed hundreds of people solely through touch?

16. Does Karl Marx claim Jewish ancestry? In what fashion?

17. How distantly is Karl W. Marx related to the communist Karl Marx, if at all?

18. Marx has a letter from James H. “Jim” Brown, the former Sec. of State of LA. on his website. The letter shows only one of what appears to be multiple pages, and possibly even cuts off a portion of the displayed page. Does Marx have the other portions/pages available?

19. How does Marx respond to the fact Wikipedia deleted the “Keichu do” article due to non-notability? (http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Log/delete&page=Keichu_Do)

20. Marx claims to have been in the Golden Gloves. Does he mean that he won a Golden Gloves or just competed?

21. Does Marx still base the mental aspects of Keichu-Do off the teachings of Tokumitsu Kanada (aka Kakuri-oya)?

22. Does Marx still believe in “Ki?” If he does, does he believe it comes from G-d? How much of that, if any, is a part of Keichu-Do or Keichu-Ryu?

23. Does Marx still consider colds, coronary heart disease, impotence, and Multiple Sclerosis (MS) as psychosomatic illnesses? In the case of MS, does he still believe it comes from “prolonged seething and jealousy?”

24. Has Marx ever published works as new that were in fact, previously published in some way, shape, or form?

25. What years was he divorced from his wife/wives and in what Parish?

26. Can he confirm his birthdate as August 10th, 1936?

---------

These questions were generated as a result of looking into Marx's claims and statements concerning his background, his Keichu Do martial art, and his authority as a creator/headmaster of a martial art. They are all based on factual information as reported on Marx's websites, published works, and online articles.

I'm going to ask other Bullshido members nicely to not flame or bash Keichu Do respondents to the thread or to do anything which would make this anything other than an honest inquiry into Karl W. Marx and Keichu-Do. I am politely asking Marx to clarify some points that are on record.

I will try emailing Marx again, but because of his non-response, I was left with no choice but to try to reach him indirectly through students that post on his page. I know for a fact that KD students regularly search this site and the Internet as a whole for references to KD, so I have great hope that he will reply to this thread.

Thank you.

Judah Maccabee

10/29/2006 11:28am,

*bump*

Judah Maccabee

10/30/2006 9:35am,

*ka-bump*

Sam Browning

10/30/2006 9:49am,

I'm not sure they want to play any more, Steve. :(

Judah Maccabee

10/30/2006 9:53am,

*puts out chicory coffee and beignets from Cafe du Monde*

We'll see how that gets em.

cajunlopez

11/03/2006 2:54am,

This is Micah Lopez, and I teach Keichu-Do Karate, and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu at Cajun Karate in Lafayette, Louisiana. Karl William Marx was married to my mother's sister many years ago. That would make him my Uncle. Any other questions? Remember to keep them simple, I'm a Cajun.

Sam Browning

11/03/2006 3:14am,

This is Micah Lopez, and I teach Keichu-Do Karate, and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu at Cajun Karate in Lafayette, Louisiana. Karl William Marx was married to my mother's sister many years ago. That would make him my Uncle. Any other questions? Remember to keep them simple, I'm a Cajun.

Welcome Micah:

And we don't have anything against Cajuns. Would you like to answer any questions other then .7? I'm thinking about 10, 11, 13, and 25. Additionally in one of his books I believe Marx mentions a temporary restraining order. Did that have anything to do with your mother's sister?

cajunlopez

11/03/2006 5:09am,

Thanks Samuel,

Karl and my Aunt were divorced when I was just a kid, so I didn't see Karl very much. I don't know the answers to any of those questions because I have only been teaching Keichu-Do for about 3 1/2 years.

I have been suffering through the other thread, and I don't want to have anything to do with it. I would however be willing to answer any questions you may have about Keichu-Do, as it is relevant to my school and what I teach. I am not here to defend anyone, or their claims. Hopefully, I can give you a fresh perspective from someone who has been teaching Karate for 16 years, holds a brown belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, and who has a Pro Fighting record of 3-0.

I am also VERY interested in this Throwdown I haveread about.

I was just trying to be funny about being Cajun.

Sam Browning

11/03/2006 5:33am,

Please tell us about the Aligator roll, and how it relates to the Judo Mr. Marx studied.

Judah Maccabee

11/03/2006 9:13am,

Dear Mr. Lopez,

Thank you for appearing on this thread. Your cousin, Soke Victor Marx, was kind enough to reply to me via email, and his reply should be posted in part soon (with his permission). In fact, Victor brought you and your fight record on Sherdog up of his own accord.

Victor was also willing to train with/spar with some people in Chicago when he comes through here within the next year, and I'm sure people in the South will be glad to have you come and train at a Throwdown with them. In fact, there is a Throwdown going on in Atlanta this Sunday.

http://www.bullshido.net/forums/

If you look in the "Throwdowns" forum, you should see the GA Tech II throwdown thread with details about location and time. It's short notice, ya, but if you can make it, I'm sure they'll be glad to have you.

Thanks again for stopping by.

cajunlopez

11/04/2006 12:58am,

Samuel,
I am not here to discuss Mr. Marx background in any way. I will, however, discuss anything pertaining to Keichu-Do, BJJ, or MMA. Please keep in mind that I am from a "new generation" of Keichu, under Victor Marx. Many of the techniques of Keichu have been refined over the years, and my BJJ training is highly influencial in my Karate teaching.

FreeSpeech

11/04/2006 2:05pm,

Samurai Steve you will receive a response from Soke soon. I do not think that he checks that e-mail address. So I have sent it on to him. He was not ignoreing you. If you have any further questions for Soke you can ask me, through my email which should be on this site if not PM me and I will give it to you.

Sam Browning

11/04/2006 2:44pm,

Samuel,
I am not here to discuss Mr. Marx background in any way. I will, however, discuss anything pertaining to Keichu-Do, BJJ, or MMA. Please keep in mind that I am from a "new generation" of Keichu, under Victor Marx. Many of the techniques of Keichu have been refined over the years, and my BJJ training is highly influencial in my Karate teaching.

See post #9 for my question about the gator roll, you could always compare it to what you teach in BJJ.

Judah Maccabee

11/04/2006 2:44pm,

FS,

Soke Victor Marx already got in contact with me on his Dad's behalf. He was gracious and forthcoming about a majority of the things written here.

JohnnyCache

11/04/2006 3:28pm,

Samuel,
I am not here to discuss Mr. Marx background in any way. I will, however, discuss anything pertaining to Keichu-Do, BJJ, or MMA. Please keep in mind that I am from a "new generation" of Keichu, under Victor Marx. Many of the techniques of Keichu have been refined over the years, and my BJJ training is highly influencial in my Karate teaching.

If I may interject, what characterizes this "new generation" as such? What are you doing different from the "old generation" and which schools and instructors belong to which generation?

FreeSpeech

11/04/2006 3:42pm,

S.S

There were a few questions on the list that left me wondering why they were asked, and what point does asking them serve? For instance, why ask questions 16 or 25?